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As the sun was gong down on Monday, realized it was almost 6:00 when I got home. Now that is a good sign. Monday night’s sunset interesting with the sun shining on one of the buildings in Boston. Also when looking at Magnolia Harbor the moorings will be full of boats in no time. YEAH…

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Attending the anti-Nazi demonstration in Boston was an event I won’t soon forget. The day began really well, with a fantastic interview of our GMG podcast guests, the playwright Israel Horovitz, and Gloucester Stage Company’s Heidi Dallin and Emme Shaw. Israel fills the room with his stories and Joey knows how to bring out the best of them. After the podcast, I stopped home and had a quick lunch with Jessica while getting kisses in for our granddaughter (and return smiles!). Jessica, Tom, and I discussed transportation strategies for attending the demonstration. The Blueline was decided upon, which as it turns out was so easy, I would take this route again without hesitation. It only took forty-five minutes to drive to Wonderland Station in Revere and parking is free on the weekends.

I am unfamiliar with purchasing train tickets from a machine and rather than holding up the other passengers, I suggested to the woman next in line that she go first. She laughed and said she would help. She was a woman of color, a beautiful brown color, and within moments I had my Charlie card. This was the first of several incidences of needing assistance throughout the afternoon. The train pulled into the station and off we headed to Government Center.

Disembarking from the train and entering the plaza, the streets were so quiet you would never know that only a few blocks away were throngs of thousands. There were tourists with cameras, families and young couples mostly, sightseeing and photographing. The walk from Government Center Plaza to the State House is rich in American history, and there were even tourists on the Common, seemingly unfazed by the demonstration underway.

At the State House entrance to the Commons, you could see tens of thousands counter protesters rallying, carrying signs, and chanting anti-hate and anti-fascist slogans. I am frankly not a person who feels safe in large crowds. But I have faced my fear twice this year, once for the Women’s March and yesterday, because I wanted to go to this demonstration for no other reason than to be one of a hundred million people-strong looking clearly into the eye of fascism to say, you will never gain power in America.

I held my breath and walked into the crowd. Along the criss-crossing paths of the Common were people of all ages and colors, in small groups and large, holding handmade signs and talking about their vision for America. My fear of crowds began to lessen, and at one point a young man, also of a beautiful brown color, lent me his hand so that I could stand on a bench to take a photo.

As I headed deeper into the crowd, a scuffle suddenly broke out. I was quickly caught in a rush of people and as I struggled to get out of the way, an older couple, also of beautiful brown colors, pulled me towards them. They were standing under a tree and instructed do not run, but “stand beneath this tree with us.” After a few minutes, the fighting ceased and we made our way together out of the center of the Commons.

Along Beacon Street, which was closed to traffic, there seemed to be a police headquarters of sort. This was also where the largest group of counter protesters had gathered. They had a megaphone and were leading the crowd in chants — “Black Lives Matter,” “No Trump, No KKK, No Fascist USA, and “Whose streets? Our streets.” In repeated situations of high tension and raw emotions, the police kept their cool, handling haters and troublemakers with clarity of strategy and with lightning speed.

I left the rally at three o’clock and saw news footage taken later in the day, of police and counter protesters together chanting anti-hate slogans. I have to say I am so tremendously proud of the people of Massachusetts for coming together to protest peacefully for the love of their fellow man and humanity for all. #bostonstrong.I overheard this man say that he stitched his flag together the night before the protest, with no prior sewing experience.

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Forty thousand anti-Nazi demonstrators sent John Medlar and his cowardly band of fascists packing, after only one hour into what was meant to be a five-hour rally. The throngs of anti-white supremacy demonstrators gathered on the Boston Common was made of a diverse coalition. The great majority were there to protest peacefully.

The man in the red shirt getting arrested.

There were heated moments, with approximately two dozen arrests, but the well-prepared and cool heads of Boston Police officers prevailed.

The counter protesters completely eclipsed the fascists.

Hate groups are not welcome in Boston.

Chants such as “Black Lives Matter,” “Whose streets? Our streets,” and “No Trump, No KKK, No Fascist USA.” rang loud and clear throughout the Boston Common.

Led by Commissioner William Evans, the Boston Police presence was tremendous. #bostonstrong

Bas-relief of Robert Gould Shaw and the Massachusetts 54th Regiment marching down Beacon Street, located on the Boston Common, opposite the State House. The Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry was the first documented African American regiment formed in the north, in 1863. Bronze bas-relief by Augustus Saint-Gaudens.

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Soul Rebel Project will be playing tomorrow at the Thursday Night Picnic Concert at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate. It’s the 21st year for this summer concert series at Cranes, a Trustees property, 290 Argilla Rd, Ipswich, MA. Concerts are 7pm – 9pm and gates open at 5pm for the tailgate picnic part. Tickets are available for sale at the gate only: Members: $20/car; Nonmembers: $30/car; Walk-in, bicycle, & motorcycle: $10.

I’m psyched to hear that Zach Gorrell will be joining in. You may know Zach from his work at Sound Harbor Cape Ann Art Haven or Cape Ann Big Band. They just played Fiesta. He’s awesome! Of course, Gloucester knows Soul Rebel Project, too. And they just played during Fiesta at Minglewood.

The Thursday Night picnic concerts at Harbor Loop in Gloucester are free and held from 6-9pm. Tony Frontiero and John Rockwell & the Headlands are playing Harbor Loop tomorrow.

Enjoy some sights and sounds from Soul Rebel project

Throwback 2011 from Walt

Here are pictures from from the Soul Rebel Project band from last year’s concert at Cranes. Thanks for sharing these great pictures! Good luck tomorrow!

Spectacular day, spectacular turnout, and spectacularly positive Boston women’s march. Tons of men participated, too, and the event was a true rainbow coalition. Wonderful to see so many friends from Cape Ann! We arrived extra early because of the train schedule, which allowed us to be super close to the stage. The crowds just grew and grew and grew throughout the day. Lots and lots of photos to share, too many to look through tonight after a long day “marching.” Quotes around marching because the turnout was so tremendous that there was marching foot-traffic-gridlock throughout the city. Estimates have participants numbering somewhere around 125,000. EVERYONE was calm and patient and thoughtful. I think the most wonderful part was seeing so many young people at the march. So proud to be an American ❤

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We spent the afternoon in the city yesterday and had such a great time! While not all of our grand plans for winter vacation will get crossed off the bucket list, skating at City Hall Plaza’s Boston Winter was one that we were sure not to miss. Kids skate for $8 and adults for $10….skates are available for rent and there is a warm room with benches to store your shoes and lace up.

Some pretty nice outdoor shopping, plenty of places to grab a snack or even a drink (yes, please), and enough ice to accommodate plenty of skaters….all under the city lights of Boston. Kind of magical, really.

We got in there on the early side so we left just shy of the live entertainment rink side. The boys can never quite get enough skating so they skated once, we walked down to Faneuil Hall for lunch and a bit of shopping, and then walked back up the stairs to City Hall to hit the ice again. During their second run my friend and I figured we had earned a hot mulled wine drink….sounds iffy, but was pretty yummy…and being able to stand outside by the rink in the middle of the city with a drink in our hands (legally) was a nice treat.

The Urban Lodge, conveniently located right next to the ice, has a bar, some comfy seating, snacks, warm blankets, and even a giant sized Jenga game. There are also plenty of snack shacks serving up other drinks and treats. The shopping is pretty eclectic with a variety of items and maybe a little something for everyone. In fact, I was thrilled to discover Rusty and Ingrid snuggled into the midst of some other shopping chalets. Check out their website now, but expect a blog post about their amazing work very soon…now that I’ve been pleasantly reminded how incredible their work is!

The boys probably would have stayed all night, but we were getting chilly. We took a spin through the phenomenal Boston Public Market (also a blog post for another day!) and headed home.

So happy to have made it into the city….and to have spent the day with good friends.

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Wait…let me get this straight. A day in the city, a pretty sweet skating track, some shopping, AND a beer garden. Win, win, win, and win. So fun!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…can we please get something similar in Gloucester?

According to BostonMagazine.com…

City officials announced Wednesday a three-year deal with Boston Garden Development—owners of TD Garden and a subsidiary of Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs’ Delaware North Companies—to transform City Hall Plaza’s much-maligned, underutilized brick expanses into a “winter garden,” starting this year.

The plans call for 40 to 50 temporary vendor stalls, or “chalets,” to be erected at the corner of the plaza along Cambridge Street, forming a “European-inspired holiday shopping market. There will also be a custom-designed, 11,000-square-foot ice-skating path, the first of its kind in New England, city officials said.

And BostonGlobe.com reported similarly….

The first phase of the plan calls for a beer garden, an ice-skating path, and 40 to 50 holiday market vendor stalls — temporary shacks dubbed “chalets” — to be installed on the plaza along Cambridge Street, beginning in late October.

The area would open to the public on the Friday following Thanksgiving and operate until the last week of February, though most of the vendors would close on Dec. 31 as the holiday shopping season winds down, the company said Wednesday.

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Free GMG Gloucester Sticker

As long as supplies last if any GMG folks want a bumper sticker but can't drop down the dock, just send a self addressed and stamped envelope longer then 7 and a half inches and I'll drop one in the mail for you.

Send the self addressed and stamped envelope to the dock at 95 East Main St Gloucester Ma 01930 care of Joey (put my name in big letters to make sure it gets to me)

Free GMG Gloucester Sticker

As long as supplies last if any GMG folks want a bumper sticker but can't drop down the dock, just send a self addressed and stamped envelope longer then 7 and a half inches and I'll drop one in the mail for you.

Send the self addressed and stamped envelope to the dock at 95 East Main St Gloucester Ma 01930 care of Joey (put my name in big letters to make sure it gets to me)